Bits and bites

It’s been a very hectic weekend covering the various CCMA events with lots to see and lots to do. I’ve just finished filing a feature story on Emerson Drive and a short notebook for Monday’s Leader-Post but I thought I drop a few lines on the blog as well:

— On Friday night I dropped into the Drink nightclub to check out Gord Bamford. Hey Romeo opened the evening and we’re followed to the stage by Regina’s own Poverty Plainsmen. Twice named the independent group of the year by the CCMA, the Poverty Plainsmen put on a great show with Mark Smith shining in his role as conductor of mayhem. Bamford didn’t take the stage until nearly 1 a.m. and although he only played for about 20 minutes, he was definitely worth the wait. His star is on the rise and it was quite easy to see why.

— FanFest got off to a slow start Saturday but it picked up steam by 12:30 p.m. and finished with a bang. The performances were great, the fans were pumped and the lines for autographs and pictures were lengthy. Johnny Reid sang his butt off and deservedly received a standing ovation following his final song.

— I’ve always been a Charlie Major fan and I was thrilled with his performance at FanFest. The day got better for me when I was able to sit down and interview Charlie. During his performances Charlie comes off as a nice guy and I can tell you that it isn’t an act. He’s a sincere man who loves music and the people that also love music. He’s playing the Casino Regina Show Lounge on Sept. 28 and my feature story on Charlie will run in the Sept. 27 What’s On section.

— I took in Sunday’s taping of One On One With CMT & Emerson Drive at the Delta Regina. I was impressed on how grounded the band was – I’m sure their lives are stressful and hectic right now but you would never know it by the way they conducted themselves.

— Country 100 debuted its new morning crew on Wednesday. Rustie Dean was joined by Dustin Dion and will fill the shoes of former morning man Cole Bellefeuille. Dion joins the station from a Top 40 station in Medicine Hat. I bumped into the duo at FanFest and Dion is excited about his opportunity as Country 100. I’m of the opinion that they got off to a good start this week and they’re definitely worth a listen.

— Speaking of someone worth listening to, CKRM’s Perry Nyhus fills the bill. His afternoon show is a real treat. One listen and you can tell that Perry’s passionate about country music.

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